Napoli Vs Inter Milan: Preview, Stats, Key Players, Injury Updates, And Prediction

‎As Serie A moves into another fascinating weekend, all eyes will turn to Naples on Saturday evening for the headline act, a clash between last season’s top two sides.

‎Defending champions Napoli welcome Inter Milan to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, with both teams locked on 15 points and eager to make an early statement in the race for the Scudetto.

‎A Rivalry Reignited

‎This fixture has developed into one of the fiercest battles in modern Italian football. Over the past few seasons, Napoli and Inter have traded blows both domestically and in Europe, with their last three Serie A encounters ending in 1-1 draws as proof of how evenly matched they’ve been.

‎This time, however, there’s a different edge to the encounter. Napoli, led by Antonio Conte, is out to steady the ship after a turbulent run.

‎While Cristian Chivu’s Inter arrive in Campania in blistering form, eyeing revenge on the side that dethroned them last term.

‎Napoli’s Troubles Mounting

‎For Napoli, the international break seems to have disrupted their rhythm. The champions have looked far from their best in recent outings, suffering back-to-back defeats first a 1-0 Serie A loss to Torino, then a 6-2 thrashing by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

‎Despite taking an early lead in the Netherlands through Scott McTominay, defensive lapses and Lorenzo Lucca’s red card saw the Azzurri collapse spectacularly in the second half.

‎Head coach Antonio Conte was visibly furious post-match. His team has now lost two of their last three league games as many defeats as in the previous 31 combined.

‎Conte will take comfort from Napoli’s home form. They have a 15-match unbeaten run at the Maradona in Serie A, with 12 wins in that stretch and 3 victories from 3 home games this season.

‎Even with injury setbacks, Napoli remains a formidable force for their fans, and Conte knows this clash could spark a renewed title defense.

‎Inter Milan in Irresistible Form

‎While Napoli stumbles, Inter Milan is flying. Chivu’s men have rediscovered their swagger and are looking like serious title contenders once again.

‎Since their September defeat to Juventus, Inter have put together seven consecutive wins in all competitions, including a dominant 4-0 victory away to Union Saint-Gilloise in midweek.

‎Two quickfire goals before half-time sealed that contest, extending their unbeaten Champions League run while maintaining a perfect defensive record in Europe this season.

‎Inter’s numbers in Serie A speak for themselves. They’ve scored 18 goals in seven matches, making them the league’s best attack.

‎Nine different players have found the net, showing depth and unpredictability. They’ve kept four clean sheets in their last five league away games.

‎Their only defeat is that wild 4-3 defeat to Juventus in the Derby d’Italia.

‎Tactics & Team News

‎Napoli:

‎Injuries have hit the champions hard. Romelu Lukaku remains unavailable, and now Rasmus Hojlund faces a race against time to recover from a thigh strain.

‎Should he miss out, the suspended Lorenzo Lucca may be replaced by another makeshift forward.

‎Former Inter winger Matteo Politano, who has scored three times against his old club, will be key, alongside McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne, who adds creative flair in midfield.

‎Defensively, Amir Rrahmani and Stanislav Lobotka remain sidelined, meaning Billy Gilmour could continue anchoring the midfield.

‎Predicted Napoli XI:

‎Meret; Di Lorenzo, Beukema, Buongiorno, Spinazzola; Gilmour; Politano, Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay; Lucca

‎Inter Milan:

‎Inter’s rotation in midweek leaves them fresh. Piotr Zielinski, formerly of Napoli, will likely start from the bench, while the injured Marcus Thuram remains out.

‎In his place, Ange-Yoan Bonny has stepped up impressively contributing five goal involvements in his last two outings. He could again partner with captain Lautaro Martinez, who boasts five career goals against Napoli, though none since 2022.

‎Rising star Francesco Pio Esposito is another option, having opened his Serie A, Champions League, and international accounts in recent weeks.

‎Predicted Inter XI:

‎Sommer; Akanji, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Bonny, Martinez

‎Prediction:

‎Napoli 1–2 Inter Milan